71 Operations Group (AETC)

Lineage.  Established as 71 Observation Group on 21 Aug 1941.  Activated on 1 Oct 1941.  Redesignated as: 71 Reconnaissance Group on 2 Apr 1943; 71 Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 10 May 1944; 71 Reconnaissance Group on 20 May 1945.  Inactivated on 1 Feb 1946.  Activated on 28 Feb 1947.  Redesignated as 71 Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 18 Aug 1948.  Inactivated on 1 Apr 1949.  Redesignated as 71 Operations Group on 9 Dec 1991.  Activated on 15 Dec 1991.

Assignments.  II Air Support Command, 1 Oct 1941; IV Air Support (later, IV Ground Air Support) Command, Mar 1942; II Air Support Command (later, II Tactical Air Division), Aug 1942; Fifth Air Force, Nov 1943; 5212 Photographic Reconnaissance Wing (Provisional), early 1944; 91 Photographic Reconnaissance Wing, May 1944; Fifth Air Force, 10 Nov 1945-1 Feb 1946.  315 Composite Wing, 28 Feb 1947; 314 Composite Wing, 15 Apr 1947; 71 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 18 Aug 1948; Fifth Air Force, 26 Oct 1948-1 Apr 1949.  71 Flying Training Wing, 15 Dec 1991-.

Operational Components.  Squadrons3 Flying Training (later, 3 Fighter Training): 26 Apr 2007-.  7 Flying Training: 15 Dec 1991-1 Oct 1992.  8 Photo Reconnaissance (later, 8 Tactical Reconnaissance; 8 Flying Training): 28 Feb 1947-1 Apr 1949; 15 Dec 1991-.  17 Observation (later, 17 Reconnaissance): 26 Feb 1942-1 Feb 1946.  25 Observation (later, 25 Liaison):  29 Mar 1942-16 Feb 1945.  25 Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 25 Flying Training): 28 Feb 1947-1 Apr 1949; 15 Dec 1991-.  26 Flying Training: 15 Dec 1991-1 Oct 1992.  31 Reconnaissance: attached, 27 Oct 1947-1 Apr 1949.  32 Flying Training: 1 Jun 1995-14 Sep 2012.  33 Flying Training: 1 Oct 1998-.  82 Observation (later, 82 Reconnaissance; 82 Tactical Reconnaissance): 5 Apr 1942-1 Feb 1946; 28 Feb 1947-1 Apr 1949.  102 Observation: 1 Oct 1941-5 Apr 1942.  110 Observation (later, 110 Reconnaissance; 110 Tactical Reconnaissance): 1 Oct 1941-20 Oct 1945.  128 Observation: 1 Oct 1941-c. Apr 1942.  Flying Training Squadron Provisional, 26: 1 Oct 1994-1 Jun 1995.

Stations.  Birmingham, AL, 1 Oct 1941; Salinas AAB, CA, 21 Dec 1941; Rice AAB, CA, 18 Aug 1942; Salinas AAB, CA, 19 Oct 1942; Esler Field, LA, 24 Jan 1943; Laurel AAFld, MS, 31 Mar-24 Sep 1943; Port Moresby, New Guinea, 7 Nov 1943; Nadzab, New Guinea, 20 Jan 1944; Biak, 8 Aug 1944; Leyte, 5 Nov 1944; Binmaley, Luzon, 2 Feb 1945; Ie Shima, Aug 1945; Chofu, Japan, 6 Oct 1945; Tachikawa, Japan, 23 Oct 1945; Irumagawa, Japan, c. 15 Jan-1 Feb 1946.  Itami, Japan, 28 Feb 1947; Johnson AAB, Japan, 15 Apr 1947; Yokota, Japan, 31 Oct 1947-1 Apr 1949.  Vance AFB, OK, 15 Dec 1991-.

Service Streamers.  None. 

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Japan; New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Leyte; Luzon; China Defensive; China Offensive; Western Pacific.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers.  None.

Decorations.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: [15 Dec 1991]-31 Mar 1992; 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Jul 1996-30 Jun 1997; 1 Jul 1997-30 Jun 1998; 1 Jul 1998-30 Jun 1999; 1 Jul 1999-30 Jun 2000; 1 Jul 2001-30 Jun 2003; 1 Jul 2003-30 Jun 2004; 1 Jul 2004-30 Jun 2005; 1 Jul 2009-30 Jun 2010; 1 Jul 2010-30 Jun 2011; 1 Jul 2012-30 Jun 2014; 1 Jul 2016-30 Jun 2018; 1 Jul 2018-30 Jun 2020.  Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 2 Feb 2022.

Supersedes statement prepared on 11 Jan 2010.

Emblem.  Approved on 9 Mar 2022.

Prepared by James Musser.

Reviewed by Margaret Ream.